Crank shaft twisting machine



s. MYORGAN Y 1,991,567

CRANK SHAFT TWISTING MACHINE Feb. 19, 1935.

Filed oct. 4, 1930 e sneet-sheet 1 Fb19,l935. s MoRGAN Y CRANK SHAFTTWISTING MACHINE "Filed oct. 4,v 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. n 19, 1935.n s. MORGAN 1,991,567

CRANK SHAFT TWISTING MACHINE .Filed oci. 4, 1930 e sheets-sheet 3gru-nto@ abtomgo Feb. v19, 1935. s. MORGAN Y vCRANK SHAFT TWISTINGMACHINE Filed oct. 4, 19:50 sksheets-sheet 4 fl I,

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CRANK SHAFT TWISTING MACHINE FiledOct. 4, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 35%@5.5% a I P s. MORGAN 15991567 CRANK SHAFT TWISTING MACHINE Y Filed oct.4, 195o e sheets-sheet e www. am

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Feb. 19, 1935.

Patented Feb. 19, 1935 OFFICE v 1,991,5e7" y CRANK SHAFT TWISTING'MACHINE Samuel Morgan, Flint, Mich., assgnorto Gleneral MotorsCorporation', Detroit, Mich., a'corpovration of Delaware Applicationoctober 4, 19st, srilrNo. 486,403

8 Claims.

Crankshafts on which` there are provided a plurality of throws which arelocated in two or more Yplanes are commonly forged with all of thethrows in a single plane and then subjected to a twisting operation inwhich certain of the throws are moved angularly about the axis of thecrankshaft with respect to the others in order to allocate the throws totheir proper angular positions.

In order to insure the production of uniform crankshafts, it isessential that the several throws be allocated very precisely to theirproper angular positions during the twisting operation and that nounexpected distortion of the crankshafts shall occur during the twistingoperation.

It is the object of this invention to pro-vide apparatus for twistingcrankshafts in which the throws may be allocated very precisely to theirproper angular positions and which is so constructed and arranged thatno unexpected distortion of the crankshaft can take placeduring thetwisting operation. A

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of thev presentinvention, reference is made to the following specification in whichthere is described the embodiment of the invention which is illustratedin the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a crankshaft twisting machine in whichis embodied my linvention. Y

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the crankshaft twisting machine which isshown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the crankshaft twisting machine which isshown in the preceding figures. l i

Figure 4 is a view taken in section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 throughthe housing for the twisting die carriage, but showing the carriage insideV elevation with a crankshaft clamped between the twisting dies.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the twisting die carriage with thetwisting dies separated to receive a crankshaft.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 7 7 of Figure 4`Figure 8 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a completed crankshaft of the type inwhose manufacture the machine shown in the preceding figures is designedto be employed.

Figure 10,is an end elevation of the. crankshaft shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a view-in which `there is diagrammatically shown a portionof the operating mechanism which isl incorporated in the machine whichis shownin Figuresl to 8.

The particular,V crankshaft twisting machine which is illustrated in thedrawings is designed to be employed in the manufacture of five-bearing,eight-throw crankshafts of the well-known 2-4-2 type of which one isshown in Figures 9 and 10. In the process of manufacturing crankshaftsof this type in which myY machine is adapted to be employed, thecrankshafts are first forged with all of thethrows in a single plane andthen twistedin the second and fourth main bearings so as to locate thethird, fourth, fifth and sixth throws at 90 Vdegrees tothe first,second, seventh and eighth throws.

To perform thisrtwisting operation, I have designed a crankshafttwisting machine which includes a base which consists of a platformwhich is carried by supports 21 which are adapted to restcn and-besecured to a suitable founda- Obviously, itis possible to design amachine which will perform the twisting operation referred to above inwhich the intermediate portion of the crankshaft'is held rigidly fixedand the end portions moved angularly with respect thereto, butI'consider that a machine in which the end portions of the Vcrankshaftarefrigidly held and the intermediatey portions thereof moved angularlywith respect thereto is more practicable and have designed my crankshafttwisting machine accordingly.

To clamp and rigidly hold the end portions of the crankshaft'during `thetwisting operation, I have provided lower holding dies 23 and 24 whichare rigidly secured to bases 25 and 26 which are fastened. to the`platform 20 and upper holding dies 27 and 28.- The dies 23 and 27 are,respectively, replicas' of the portions of the lower and upper forgingdies in which the portion of the crankshaft outwardly of, but notincluding the fourth main bearing is formed; the dies 24 and 28 are,respectively, replicas of the portions of the lower and upper forgingdies in which the portion of the crankshaft outwardly of, but notincluding, the second main bearing is formed; andthe dies 23 and 24 and27 and 28 occupy the same relative positions in the machine thatvtheportions of the lower and upper forging dies'to which they correspondoccupy in the forging apparatus-fi. e., the lower holding dies 23 andCil 24 and the upper holding. dies 27 and 28 may be considered,respectively, as a lower forging die and an upper forging die from whichthe portions intermediate and including the cavities in which the secondand fourth main bearings are formed have been removed.

The upper holding dies 27 and 28 are arranged to be movedvertically'withrespectto the -lower holding dies 23 and 24 from aposition in which the end portions of the crankshaft are clamped andrigidly held therebetween to a position in which the crankshaft may beinsertedV or 'removed from between them and vice versa. To this end,there is secured to the platform 20, adjacent each of the lower holdingdies 23 and 24, an arm-like support 29 on whose upper end there ismounted a vertically disposed cylinder 30. Within each of the cylinders30, there is located a piston 31 to which is connected a piston rod 32which extends through then lower head of the cylinder and to whose lowerend there is rigidly secured one of the upper holding dies.

The mechanism for clamping and moving the intermediatevportion of thecrankshaft angularly with respect to the end portions thereof so as toallocate the several throws to their proper angular positionsincludes awheel-like carriage 33 which is located between the pairs of holdingdies and is adaptedv to rotate about the axis of a crankshaft whoseendportions are clamped and held between theupper and lower holdingdies. On the outer edges of the rim of the carriage, there are formedoutwardly projecting circular flanges 34 which are journalled'or guidedin bearings or ways 35 which are formed in a housing36 which is securedtothe platform 20 between the arm-like supports 29. In the particularembodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings, thelower portion of the wheel-like carriage 33 `extends through an opening37 in 'the platform 20, and the housing 36 is formed of four mainpartstwo' parti-circular, axiallyspaced parts 38 and 39 which arelocated above the platform and secured. together by bolts 40 and twocomplementary parti-circular, axially spaced vparts 41 and 42 which arelocated below the platform and secured together by bolts 43.

In the wheel-like carriage 33, there are provided opposed radiallydisposed alined guideways 44 in each of which there is locatedand guidedfor sliding movement toward. and away from the axisA of rotation ofthecarriage a slide 45 on which is mounted one ofthe twisting dies 46. Theupper and lower twisting dies are, re spectively, replicas of theportions of the upper and lower forging dies in which the portion of thecrankshaft intermediate, but not including, the second and fourth mainbearings are formed and occupy the same relative positions in themachine, with respect to each other and, when the parts of the machineare in the positions in which they are shown in Figures 4 and 6, withrespect to the holding. dies 23, 24, 27 `and 28, that the correspondingportions of the forging die occupy with respect to each other when theupper forging die is in engagement with the lower forging die-i. e.,that the upper and lower twisting dies may be, respectively, consideredas an upper forging die and a lower forging diefrom which the portionsoutwardly of, and including, the second and fourth main bearings havebeen removed.

To the rim of the wheel-like carriage 33 adjacent each gudeway 44,`there is pivoted a cylinder Y' 47 in whichthere is located a piston 48to which is secured a piston rod 49 which extends through one head ofthe cylinder and into the adjacent guideway. To the outer end of eachpiston rod 49, there is pivotally connected one end of each of two links50 and 51. The other end of each link 50 is pivotally connected to theportion of the rim of the carriage at the end of the adjacent guidewayand the other end of each link 5l is pivotaliy .connected tol theouterend of the adjacent slide 45. To each guideway, adjacent its outer end,there is secured a step 52 which is adapted to prevent the adjacenttoggle linkage 50-51 from passing dead center in one direction.

The upper holding dies 27 and 28 are adapted to be moved from a positionin which they are spaced a sufficient distance from the lower holdingdies 23 and 24 that a crankshaft can be inserted or removed from betweenthe upper and lower holding dies to a position in which they rest on thelower holding dies 23 and 24 and vice versa, and the twisting dies arearranged to..be7moved from a position in which they are separated asufficient distance that a crankshaft can be inserted or removed frombetween them to a posi#- tion in which they engage each other and viceversa by fluid pressure appliedl to the pistons vin the cylinders 30 and47. Toy this end, there is provided a pipe 53 which opens into the upperend of each of the cylinders 30, a pipe 54 lwhich opens into the lowerend of each ofthe cylinders l 30, a flexible pipe 55 which opens intothe outer end of each of the cylinders 47 and a flexible pipe 56 whichopens into the inner end of each of the cylinders 47. The pipes 53 and55 are interconnected and connectedto a pipe 57 which opens into theinterior of a valve housing 58 and the pipes 54 and 56 areinterconnected and connected to a pipe 59 which opens into the interiorof the valve housing 58. Athird pipefGO which com municates with asource of supply of fluidunderpressure also opens into the valvehousing58. In the valve housing, there is provided af valve 61 which is adaptedto be moved by a handle 62 from a .position in which communication isestablished between the pipe 'and the pipe 57 and between the pipe 59and the atmosphere to a position in which communication is .establishedbetween the pipe 60 and the pipe 59 and. between the pipe 57 and theatmosphere and viceversa so that fluid pressure may be admitted to thepipe 57 or the pipe 59 and the fluid in the other of the pipes 57 and 59may be at the same time discharged into the atmosphere. l f

To rotate the wheel-like carriage 33 so that the intermediate portion ofthe crankshaft may be moved angularly with respect to the end portionsthereof, there is provided an electric motor 63 which is mounted on anarm 64 which is suitably secured to the part 39 of the housing 36. Theshaft of the motor 63 is connected through reduction gearing 65 and acoupling 66 to a shaft 67 which is journalled in bearings 68 which aremounted on the housing 36 and carries a pinion 69 which meshes withteeth 70 which are formed on the rim of the carriage 33 between theflanges 34. The end cf the shaft of the motor 63 opposite that which iscoupled to the shaft 67 projects from the casing of the motor and hasassociated with it electrically operated brake mechanism 71'.

The motor 63 may be operated from any suitable source of electric powerand may be controlled by any suitable mechanism. For the latter purpose,there is provided in the embodiment of the invention which isillustrated in the drawings one master manually operable switch 72 andtwo auxiliary automaticallyoperated T3 and 74. For operating themasterswitch 72, there is provided a handle 75.` rOn theauxiliary switches 73and 74 which are mounted 4aidacent.the housing36, thereare `providedlevers 76 and 17, respectively, which are adapted to ,be moved in onedirection by projections' '78 and 7.9 `respectively.,l

which are carried by the carriage 33 and in the other direction bysprings (not shown).

Before a twisting operation is fbegun, 'the parts of the machine arebroughtintov the positions in which they are shown 'in dot and .dashlines in Figure 2 'and in solid lines in Eigure 5. lWhen the parts areinthese positions, the machine is ready to receive a crankshaft, and aplane crankshaft, hot from the forging operation, is then insertedbetween the holding diesland "between vthe twisting dies to a .positionin which the portions thereof outwardly of, but not including, thesecond and fourth main bearings `are seated in `the cavities in thelower holding dies, las shown in Figure '6, Then the valvefoperatinghandle 62 is moved .from the position Tin which it is `shown in :solidlines in Figure l1 to the position-:in which `it is shown in dot anddash'lines in the same figure so as to establish communication betweenthe pipe l60 .and the pipe 57 and to establish communication between thepipe 59 and the atmosphere so'thatluid pressure is admitted fromithepipe 60, to 'the pipe 57, whence it passes through the pipes 53 and 55into the upper ends of the lcylinders 30 and the outer ends Yof thecylinders 447 and so that the fluid inthe lower ends of the cylinders 30'and in the inner ends Vof the cylinders 47 vmay be -di'scharged totheatmosphere. The admission of fluid `pressure-to theupper ends of thecylinders 30 causesthe pistons 31 tolmove downwardly and move the upperholding dies 27' and` 28 downwardly until they are seated on the lowerholding dies 23 and 24, respectively, fand the portions of thecrankshaft outwardly of, but not including, the second and fourth mainbearings, are seated in the cavities in the upper holding ldies andareclamped and rigidly held between the upper and lower holding dies;admission of fluid pressure to the outer ends of the'cylinders 47causesthe pistons 48 to move inwardly in the cylinders, Vthe toggle linkages50-51 to be straightened and the twisting dies to vbe moved toward theaxis of the carriage 33 until they come into contact with each other andthe `portions of the crankshaft intermediate, but not including, thesecond and fourth main bearings are 4seated in the cavities in thetwisting dies and are clampedand rigidiy hel-d between the twistingdies. In Figures 1, 4, 6 and 7 and in 'solid lines in vFigure 2 vtheparts of the machine are'shown in the positions which they occupy at thecompletion'of the last Vdescribed step of the operation. At this time,4all portions of the crankshaft which is Vtobe twisted', Iexcept thesecond and fourth main bearings, are clamped and rigidly heldin theholding 4and twisting dies and are restrained against distortion in` anymanner. i g

After the crankshaf-tis clamped and rigidly held between the dies, theoperating handlev 75'of the manually controlled master switch 72 istionsofthe crankshaft outwardly of but not including the secondandfourth main bearings are held rigidly xed by the holding dies, thustwistinglthe crankshaft `in the-second and fourth main bear-ings, untilthe portion ofthe crankshaft intermediate, but not'including, the secondand fourth main bearings is moved through the required angle(approximately 90 degrees) when the projection T78 will move the lever76 to position to open the circuit to the motor 63 and close the circuitto and apply the brake 71 andthus stop the motor' .and rotation of thecarriage. After this, the handle of the master switch may be moved toposition to open the cicruit therethrough whichwill cause the circuit tothe brake 71 to be vopened and the brake `to be released. z It will beapparent that since all portions of the crankshaft except'the second andfourth main bearings in whichthe crankshaft is twisted are clamped andrigidly held against distortion during the twisting operation thecrankshaft cannot be deformed in any unexpected manner during thetwisting operation. '11 i To remove the 'crankshaft which has beentwisted, 'as Adescribed above, from the machine, the valve operatinghandle 62 ismoved from the dot and dash line position in which `it isshown in Figure .1l to the solid :lineposition in which it is shown inthe Ysame figure `sofas to establish communication between the vpipe 60.and the pipe 59 and to establish communication between the pipe .57 andthe atmosphere so that fluid pressure is admitted to the lower ends ofthe cylinders 30 and the 4inner ends of the cylinders 47 and so that thefluid in the upper ends of the cylinders 30 and in the outer ends of thecylinders 47 may be discharged to the fatmosphere which causes the upperholding A'dies-to `move upwardly laway from the `crankshaft and thetwisting dies to move outwardly away from the crankshaft. After this,the shaft may, of course, be removed endwise from between the pairs ofholding and twisting dies. Whenr'emoved from the machine, the crankshaft'will be .found to be of substantially the form shown in Figures'9 and10 and is completed. except for finishing operations.

Tomove the parts of the machine back to position .for'the 'start ofanother twisting operation, the handle '75 Aof the master switch '72 ismoved in the direction to close the master switch and the circuitthrough the "automatic switch 74 which causes the motor to start and:rotate the carriage 33 in the direction opposite that indicated by thearrow in Figure 4 until the carria'ge 3B has been moved through therequired angle (approximately `90 degrees) when the projection '79'.willmove the lever 77 to position to open the circuit to the'motor and closethe circuit to and apply the brake 71 and thus stop the motor androtation of the carriage. At this time the parts of the machine willbein the proper positions for the start o'fanother twistingoperation-the-lever v76 having beenreturned to the position in which'itis shown in solid lines in Figures 2, 4 and 6 by the spring hereinbeforementioned. AfterV this and v prior to the start of another twistingoperation, the handle 76 of the master switch may be moved to a positionto open the circuit therethrough to release the brake 71.

Although I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that this has been done merely by Wayof example and not by way of limitation and that the scope of myinvention is to be determined only by the appended claims., I

Iclaim: n

v1. In a shaft twisting machine the combination of a' xed support, meansfor clamping a portion of a shaft in the support, a frame mounted forrotation about an axis substantially coincidentwith that of the shaftwhen in positionin the support, ,said frame being provided with* opposedradial guideways extending outwardly from its axis, shaft clampingmembers slidably mounted in said. guideways, means for actuating saidmembers to clamp the shaft to the frame, and means for rotating theframe to twist the shaft.

2. Ina shaft twisting machine, the combination of a xed support, meansfor `clamping a portion of a shaft in the support, a wheel-like framemounted for rotation about anaxis` substantially coincident with that ofthe shaft when in position in the support, clamping means carried by theframe adapted to grip another portion of said shaft, said clamping meanscomprising a pair of die members, one of said-members being movable,toggle Amechanism carried by the wheel-like member for actuating themovable die member to clamp or release the shaft, means carried by saidwheel-like member for actuating said toggle mechanism to clamp the shaftin the wheel-like member, and means for supplying'en.- ergy to saidlast-named means.

3. In a shaft twisting.` machine, thecombination of a fixed support,means for clamping a portion of a shaft inthe support, ay wheel-likeframe mounted for rotation about` an axis substantially coincident withthat of the shaft when in position in the support, clamping meanscarried by the frame adapted to grip lanother portion of said shaft,said clamping meanscomprising a pair 0f movable die members, togglemechanism carried by the wheel-like member for actuating each of saiddie members, and means engagng the outer periphery of the wheel-likemember for rotating the frame to twist the shaft.

4. In a crankshaft twisting machine, a support, twisting mechanismrotatably mounted on the support, means to operate the twistingmechainsm, a brake associated with the support and the twistingmechanism, means to operate the brake, means to interrupt theapplication of power to the twisting mechanism, and a device forcontrolling both of the last twomentioned means to interrupt theapplication of power to the twisting mechanism and simultaneously tooperate the brake when the twisting mechanism has been rotated through apredetermined angle.

5. 'I'he invention claimed in claim 4 in which the controlling deviceincludes an electric rswitch which controls the brake and theapplication of power to the twisting mechanism.

6. In a crankshaft twisting machine, the combination of a frame, a largerotatable wheel-like carriage supported adjacent substantially itsventire periphery by the frame,`complementary dies in which there areformed complementary cavities adapted to receive and t substantially thewhole of the crankshaft which is to be twisted,

said dies including complementary end die` portions mounted fon theframe for holding the crankshaft end portions fixed. relative to theframe and complementary intermediate dieportions mounted on therotatable'carriage for rotation relative to the end die portions andfortwisting the intermediateportions of the crankshaft,

means formoving the complementary parts of the dies towardand away fromeach other, and means for rotating said carriage, the' last mentionedmeans including driven means extending along the periphery of thecarriage and driving means in engagement therewith and being adapted toapply a force at a great mechanical advantage to the carriage. y f v A7. A crankshaft twisting machine comprising a frame, two spaced diescarried by the frame, eachof said dies including complementaryrelatively-'movable parts which are'adapted to hold the end portions of`a crankshaft fixed to the frame, Vmeans for moving therelativelymovable complementary die parts toward. and away from eachother, a largelwheel-likev carriage between said dies, bearing elements carried ontheframe and supporting the carriage along substantially its entireperiphery for rotation aboutan'axls substantiallycoinciden't with thatof the crankshaft when in position in said dies, a vthird die carried'by the carriage and comprising complementary relatively ymovable partswhich are adapted to hold xedtothe carriage nearlyall of theVintermediate portions of the crankshaft between the end portions heldby the first two mentioned dies, means for moving the relatively movableparts lof said third die Vtoward and away from each other, and means forrotating'the carriage relative to the frame,'the last mentioned meansincluding drivenl means extending along the'p'eriphery of the carriageand driving means in engagement therewith. l

8. A shaft twisting machine comprising'a frame, two spaced diescarriedby the frame,y each of said dies including complementary relativelymovable parts whichare adapted to hold the end portions of a shaftfixedto the frame, means for moving the relatively movable complementarydie parts toward and aw'ayfromv each other, a large wheellike carriagekbetween said dies, means carried on the frame and supporting thecarriage along substantially its entire periphery for rotation about anaxis'substantially coincident with that of the shaft `when in positionin said dies, saidY means including spaced bearing elements, a'third'die carried by the carriage and comprising complementaryrelatively' movable parts which are adapted to hold xed to the carriagenearly all of the intermediateportions'of the shaft between the endportions -held by the first two mentioned dies, means-forj moving ytherelatively movable parts of said third die toward and away from eachother, and means for-'rotating the carriage relative'to the frame, thelast mentioned means including drivenl means 'extending along theperiphery of the carriage between said bearingelements and driving meansin engagement with said driven means. l

- SAMUEL MORGAN

